During an interview with Channel 112, Chariman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Refat Chubarov said that Crimean Tatars will boycott the presidential elections in Russia which will be held in the Crimea next Sunday.

"The truth is that many people won’t come. The overwhelming majority of the Crimean Tatars will again boycott these elections," he said.

Therefore, Chubarov asserted, propagandistic resources in the Crimea are already preparing to show the opposite picture.

"From early morning they will show stories about how people in a very good mood, with great desire to come to the polling stations. They will show happy, smiling people. They will show people in national costumes, Bulgarians, Germans, and here are the Crimean Tatars, and here are Ukrainians in vyshyvankas [embroidered shirts]. These are the topics that are being prepared," Chubarov said.

According to the Chairman, labor migrants of non-Slavic appearance who work at the Simferopol airport terminal on the construction of the Tavrida road will be sent to “vote" as Crimean Tatars.

The Russian presidential election will be held on March 18. Eight people are in the running, including incumbent President Vladimir Putin. According to opinion polls, Putin will be re-elected as the communist Pavel Grudinin, his closest rival, has garnered less than 10% of the vote.